People have skills. Jobs have tasks.

Good riddance to job titles.

Think about the last time someone asked you: “So, what do you do?”

You probably answered with your title and the name of your company. Then you tacked on a half-awkward sentence trying to explain what that really means.

We all do it.

But that robotic answer — ‘I’m a Senior Director at Company X—doesn’t come close to describing what you actually do.

Or who you actually are.

You are so much more than a title.

You are your values. Your character. Your lived experience.

Your title captures exactly none of that.

And, here’s the crazy part: Titles used to be precise. Very precise.

Baker. Carpenter. Fletcher (hint: arrow-maker—basically a medieval arms dealer).

Many of our last names come from our ancestors’ work. It was literally their identity. Back then, titles like master, journeyman, or apprentice indicated a specific skill level. Everyone knew exactly what you could do.

Then things got fuzzy. Titles started to disconnect from actual responsibilities.

Today, they’re either totally absurd (Growth Ninja, Chief Happiness Officer) or handed out like candy. (How many VPs does it take to change a lightbulb?)

Now, titles mostly describe where you sit in someone else’s org chart.

And yet... we still hang our entire identity on them.

It doesn’t make any sense. As titles mean less and less, we cling to them more and more. We lead with them at dinner parties. We display them on LinkedIn like bowling trophies.

Here’s the good news. (Actually, great news.)

Soon, your job title won’t matter much at all.

Stay with me. I know where your brain just went.

You’ve spent decades earning your title. Losing it feels like losing the proof that you accomplished anything at all.

I get it. That feeling is totally legit.

But the working world is shifting. Fast.

This year alone, more than 60% of organizations plan to redesign roles around skills rather than titles.

As AI reshapes everything, the business world is ditching rigid, long-term roles. The market is prioritizing skills and outcomes. People are far more interested in what you can do than the rung you reached on some corporate ladder.

People have skills. Jobs have tasks.

The future of work isn’t about contorting yourself to fit into a pre-defined box. It’s about showcasing your unique skill stack.

For late-career professionals, this is a huge advantage. You have decades of real-world experience.

So, here’s your move.

The next time someone asks, “What do you do?” don’t answer with your title. Tell them what you actually do.

And the best part? You got options.

Here are four ways to shift your answer from stating your status to sharing your value:

1. Focus on the impact. Instead of saying, “I’m an accountant,” try: “I help small business owners sleep better by making sure their finances are crystal clear and tax-ready.”

2. Lead with the action. In a skills-first world, your ability to do matters more than your label. Instead of, “I’m a customer service lead,” try: “I spend my days untangling customer feedback so our product team knows exactly what to fix next.”

3. Share a recent win. This is perfect for bumping into an old friend at the supermarket. Give them a concrete story. Like: “Lately, I’ve been helping a local nonprofit automate their donor outreach. We just saved them 10 hours of manual work a week.”

4. Point to the future. If you are exploring, consulting, or pivoting to a new late-career chapter, bridge your past expertise with your new mission. Like: “I’ve always been a data person, but lately I’m pivoting into AI ethics. I want to help companies use these powerful new tools without accidentally compromising their privacy.”

An answer like that travels with you.

Big firm. Startup. Self-employed.

Doesn’t matter. It’s yours.

Try it on. Say it out loud. See what happens.

Then I want to hear it.

Hit reply (or leave a comment) and tell me: What do you actually do?